5 Unexpected Musicians Who Made the Leap From Rock to Country

It’s not exactly rare for a famous musician to experiment with genres. After all, once you make it big, you’ve got plenty of resources to dip into different sounds and types of music. That’s precisely what these five rock stars did when they made their foray into country music. And one of these entries might just shock you.

Conway Twitty

This one might be a surprise to see. After all, Conway Twitty is one of the most well-known classic country stars in history. However, believe it or not, Twitty got his start in rock music before becoming the country icon he is known as today.

Twitty started in rock and roll and pop music. He briefly worked with Sun Records in the 50s and wrote Roy Orbison’s hit song “Rock House”. From there, he released a number of rockabilly-leaning singles like “It’s Only Make Believe” and “Danny Boy”. By the 1960s, he decided to focus more on country music when his rock tunes began to wane in popularity. The hair makes a lot more sense in this context.

Elvis Costello

This famed English singer/songwriter took a sidestep from new wave and made his move toward Nashville with The Attractions. There, he recorded the album Almost Blue. It’s a lovely little collection of traditional country tunes, including covers of Merle Haggard and Hank Williams tunes. The Doobie Brothers’ John McFee contributed his pedal steel talents to the album, giving it a more authentic feel.

Tom Jones

Tom Jones might best be known for his pop and rock stylings, including hits like “What’s New Pussycat?” and “It’s Not Unusual”. Some might not know that he had a country phase. Jones famously covered Porter Wagoner’s “Green, Green Grass Of Home” in the 1960s and scored a no. 1 hit with the song. From there, his only US no. 1 country song, “Say You’ll Stay Until Tomorrow”, cemented his status as a solid country artist.

Tina Turner

Ever the musical chameleon, Tina Turner had a country phase as well. Best known for blending R&B with rock and pop, Turner’s first solo album was actually more on the country side of the musical spectrum. Tina Turns The Country On! was released in 1974 and features covers of songs by Dolly Parton, Kris Kristofferson, and others.

Lionel Richie

This example of a rock star who made the move to country yielded pretty excellent results. Lionel Richie’s Tuskegee was a later-career hit in 2012, and it features the collaborative stylings of country giants like Willie Nelson, Kenny Chesney, Darius Rucker, and Blake Shelton.

Photo by David Redfern/Redferns

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